knowledgebase
All Class Options
| Title | Description |
| Need to Learn Some Manners? Small Paw Etiquette |  A beginner class for puppies We could all use a little help with our manners, right? This 6-week puppy class for dogs less than 6 months old covers the essentials of family life, house training, crate training, puppy biting, basic leash skills and simple obedience cues like sit, down, come, stay, no jumping and watch me. The classes are fun and help build your pup's confidence while socializing it to different dogs and people. We incorporate games and lots of fun into these classes. Be proud of your well-mannered furry family member, call to reserve your spot today!
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| Start Them Out Right! FREE Puppy Socialization Class |  Get your puppy off to the best start possible. Dog Behavior experts agree, proper puppy socialization is essential to the development of your dog and can prevent many future problems. Our 1-hour FREE Puppy class is for dogs less than 6 months old and will keep you in stitches watching your puppy interact with its classmates. Be sure to bring your camera. You will also see how much fun dog training is as your pup learns critical new skills through play. The class is full of games and exercises plus you will establish some important dog training skills to build on. Space is limited so register today before it's too late!
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| Teenagers Need Manners Too! *Teen Dog Etiquette |  For teen dogs that missed puppy training You may wake up one day to discover that your wonderful, cuddly puppy has turned into a teenage monster, especially if it missed our puppy socialization class. This 8-week curriculum is designed for dogs ranging from 6 to 8 months old that missed the opportunity to attend a puppy class. This is a perfect course for your teen dog that has no obedience, no manners around people and doesn't play well with other dogs. Lessons are fun for both you and your dog. By using games in the learning process we help you teach your dog to be a well-mannered family member. Secure your reservation today before your teen-dog drives you nuts!
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| It's Never Too Late! * Pet Dog Etiquette |  For puppies that graduated from a puppy class This is our 8-week curriculum designed for dogs older than 6 months old who have already graduated from a puppy class. This course focuses on reinforcing the puppy behaviors already learned to make sure they stick. We work on increasing the duration of behaviors like sit and stay and we increase the distance your dog will perform skills such as sit, down, come, stay, walk nicely, stand and leave it. You will really be able to impress your friends and family with your polite and well-mannered four legged family member. Classes are incredibly fun for you and your dog and help increase the bond you share. Register today before it's too late.
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| Show-off Your Canine Good Citizen! *DogSmith Solutions |  Earn Your Dog's AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate You know your dog is well mannered but make it official and show-off to your friends and family. Teach your dog canine citizenship with our comprehensive 8-week curriculum that culminates with the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. The AKC CGC Program provides an excellent foundation for training in other fun activities such as Rally, Obedience, and Agility and teaches your best friend to be a well-mannered dog that is a joy to live with. When your dog passes the CGC test, the DogSmith evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog's accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| Calling All Hams Just for Fun Clicks 4 Tricks |  If your dog is a natural performer and you like dazzling your friends and family with amazing tricks like spin, play dead, high-five, and take a bow, then our Clicks-4-Tricks course is for you. This fast moving and fun clicker-based class is for owners who want to develop new tricks and behaviors with their dogs. We teach you the skills you need to clicker-train your dog so the sky is the limit in terms of what you can teach your dog to do. You can also elect to test for the AKC Novice Trick Dog Title and when your dog passes the test, the DogSmith AKC evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog's accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| DogSmith "Just for Fun Agility" |  "Just for Fun" agility focuses on FUN! Fun with jumps, tunnels, tables, A-frame and weave poles. This 6 week class is a great start if you are not sure about your level of commitment to agility or your dog's suitability for the sport.
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| BAH-HUMBUG! Grumpy Dog Teach your Grumpy Dog, Dog-on-Dog Etiquette |  Got a grump in the family? Then don't delay getting into our Grumpy Dog class designed for dogs that don't reliably get along with other dogs or struggle with their focus in distracting environments. This class is not for aggressive dogs. For your peace of mind and that of your fellow students, we may have to assess the suitability of your dog prior to attending class. If your dog has a bite history with other dogs or people then please register for a private consultation. In some cases it may be necessary to do some private training prior to joining the Grumpy Dog group class. Sign up for this 6 week class now and start getting the grump out of your pooch.
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| Off With Their Leash! Off-Leash Etiquette |  A DogSmith Specialty Class When you've decided to take your dog's training to the next level, our Off-Leash Etiquette class is tailor made for you. This 6-week course focuses on advanced handling for the more serious dog owner who wants the freedom and confidence of being able to control your dog at a distance, off-leash. We will focus on off-leash behaviors like out-of-sight stay, distance recall and off-leash heeling. We also teach you, the dog trainer, how to introduce distance into your cues and how to build and proof strong obedience skills. Few things are more satisfying than working with your dog reliably at a distance.
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| Step Back to the Curb! Snap-Back Recall |  A DogSmith Specialty Class For ultimate safety, this 6-week course covers just one skill, a really reliable recall. Gain peace of mind knowing that in an emergency situation your dog will return to you when asked. We begin by teaching the dog a solid response to its name. We will then build on the recall behavior by playing lots of games and reinforcing fast returns to you. As your dog's recall strengthens we practice the recall amidst distractions and then we proof the behavior for reliability. You may only need your recall once but when you need it, it has to work. Register now.
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| Take Back the Leash! Walk Nicely |  A DogSmith Specialty Class Are you tired of your dog pulling and dragging you around by its leash, but you don't need or want a formal, obedience arena style heel? Our Walk-Nicely course is just the thing. This 6-week program focuses on just one skill, walking nicely on a leash. This is a very important skill for you and your dog to master. Dogs that cannot walk nicely on a leash tend to get left at home missing out on the huge benefits of daily exercise and spending quality time with you. Teach your dog this crucial skill so you can both enjoy long and relaxed walks together. Register now.
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| Click Away! FREE Clicker Training Class |  Our 1-hour FREE clicker training class is great for all dogs. It is
comically entertaining for both you and your dog. Be sure to bring your
camera. You will also see how much fun dog training is as your dog learns
critical new skills. Clicker training is a great way to teach your dog
appropriate behaviors when visiting the vet, accompanying you to restaurants
or some other outdoor excursion. The class is full of games and exercises
plus you will establish some important dog training skills to build on.
Space is limited so register today before it's too late!
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| Teenagers Need Manners Too! Teen Dog Etiquette | For teen dogs that missed puppy training You may wake up one day to discover that your wonderful, cuddly puppy has turned into a teenage monster, especially if it missed our puppy socialization class. This 8-week curriculum is designed for dogs ranging from 6 to 8 months old that missed the opportunity to attend a puppy class. This is a perfect course for your teen dog that has no obedience, no manners around people and doesn't play well with other dogs. Lessons are fun for both you and your dog. By using games in the learning process we help you teach your dog to be a well-mannered family member. Secure your reservation today before your teen-dog drives you nuts!
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| It's Never Too Late! Pet Dog Etiquette | For puppies that graduated from a puppy class This is our 8-week curriculum designed for dogs older than 6 months old who have already graduated from a puppy class. This course focuses on reinforcing the puppy behaviors already learned to make sure they stick. We work on increasing the duration of behaviors like sit and stay and we increase the distance your dog will perform skills such as sit, down, come, stay, walk nicely, stand and leave it. You will really be able to impress your friends and family with your polite and well-mannered four legged family member. Classes are incredibly fun for you and your dog and help increase the bond you share. Register today before it's too late.
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| Show-off Your Canine Good Citizen! DogSmith Solutions | Earn Your Dog's AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate You know your dog is well mannered but make it official and show-off to your friends and family. Teach your dog canine citizenship with our comprehensive 8-week curriculum that culminates with the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. The AKC CGC Program provides an excellent foundation for training in other fun activities such as Rally, Obedience, and Agility and teaches your best friend to be a well-mannered dog that is a joy to live with. When your dog passes the CGC test, the DogSmith evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog's accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| Need to Learn Some Manners? Let Your Puppy Shine in our AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Small Paw Etiquette Program - preparation and testing for the AKC Puppy Star |  Taught by an AKC approved CGC Evaluator, this is an exciting program designed to get you and your puppy off to the best start. We could all use a little help with our manners, right? Our 6-week puppy class for dogs less than 6 months old covers the essentials of family life, housetraining, crate training, puppy biting, basic leash skills and simple obedience cues like sit, down, come, stay, no jumping and watch me. The classes are fun and help build your pup's confidence while socializing it to different dogs and people. We incorporate games and lots of fun into these classes. When completed, your puppy will be eligible for the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Program. Be proud of your well-mannered furry family member, call to reserve your spot today!
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| Teenagers Need Manners Too! Teen Dog Etiquette & AKC S.T.A.R Puppy® Program | For teen dogs that missed puppy training. You may wake up one day to discover that your wonderful, cuddly puppy has turned into a teenage monster, especially if it missed our puppy socialization class. But it’s not too late to let your teen dog Shine in our AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Teen Dog Etiquette Program. Taught by an AKC approved CGC Evaluator, this 8-week curriculum is designed for dogs from 6 to 8 months old that missed the opportunity to attend a puppy class. This is a perfect course for your teen dog that has no obedience, no manners around people and does not play well with other dogs. Lessons are fun for both you and your dog. By using games in the learning process, we help you teach your dog to be a well-mannered family member. When completed, your teen dog will be eligible for the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Program. Secure your reservation today before your teen-dog drives you nuts!
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| "Canine Good Citizen" Testing – Is your dog a "Canine Good Citizen?" See if it makes the grade! Join us at our next testing event. | Prove to your friends and family just how polite your pooch can be by earning your AKC "Canine Good Citizen"™ Certificate. The AKC's Canine Good Citizen™ Program is designed to recognize dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. This rapidly growing nationally recognized program stresses responsible dog ownership for owners and basic training and good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10 step CGC test qualify to receive a certificate of recognition from the American Kennel Club. The AKC CGC may qualify for a reduction in homeowner’s insurance in some areas.
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| Be a Responsible Dog Owner. Celebrate the AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Month of September | Join us in September as we commemorate AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Days. We will be offering dog-training demonstrations, games, prizes and refreshments. Let us all become the best ambassadors for dog ownership that we can possibly be. Participate in this nationwide program benefiting dogs and dog owners everywhere! |
| Need to Learn Some Manners? *Small Paw Etiquette | A beginner class for puppies We could all use a little help with our manners, right? This 6-week puppy class for dogs less than 6 months old covers the essentials of family life, house training, crate training, puppy biting, basic leash skills and simple obedience cues like sit, down, come, stay, no jumping and watch me. The classes are fun and help build your pup's confidence while socializing it to different dogs and people. We incorporate games and lots of fun into these classes. Be proud of your well-mannered furry family member, call to reserve your spot today!
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| Need to Learn Some Manners? Let Your Puppy Shine in our AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® *Small Paw Etiquette Program - preparation and testing for the AKC Puppy Star | Taught by an AKC approved CGC Evaluator, this is an exciting program designed to get you and your puppy off to the best start. We could all use a little help with our manners, right? Our 6-week puppy class for dogs less than 6 months old covers the essentials of family life, housetraining, crate training, puppy biting, basic leash skills and simple obedience cues like sit, down, come, stay, no jumping and watch me. The classes are fun and help build your pup's confidence while socializing it to different dogs and people. We incorporate games and lots of fun into these classes. When completed, your puppy will be eligible for the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Program. Be proud of your well-mannered furry family member, call to reserve your spot today!
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| DogSmith *"Just for Fun Agility" | "Just for Fun" agility focuses on FUN! Fun with jumps, tunnels, tables, A-frame and weave poles. This 6 week class is a great start if you are not sure about your level of commitment to agility or your dog's suitability for the sport.
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| DogSmith One Hour "Just for Fun Agility" Session | "Just for Fun" agility focuses on FUN! Fun with jumps, tunnels, tables, A-frame and weave poles. This session is a great introduction to Dog Agility so you can see how much fun your dog will have and test their suitability for this fun and fast sport. Your dog will be happy and exhausted after this lesson. Your dog must be well socialized and good around other dogs.
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| DogSmith Skills Tune-Up 1 Hour Specialty Lesson |  Are your pooch’s skills getting a little rusty? Maybe becoming a little sloppy or inconsistent? Then you need our Skills Tune-Up session. The DogSmith Skills Tune-Up is a quick 1 hour refresher in a group environment. Just the thing to sharpen up any skills you want!
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| Pet Dog Dining Etiquette - Doggie Dining Workshop |  Our 1-hour FREE Doggie Dining workshop is a great experience for you and your pet dog. This workshop is co-hosted by a local dog friendly restaurant. The workshop focuses on teaching your pet dog to be calm in a dining environment. Your local DogSmith will cover important skills such as sit, down and stay. We also teach you how to teach your dog to politely greet friendly strangers and friendly dogs. Be sure to bring your camera. You will see how much fun dog training is as your dog learns critical new skills in a dining environment. Space is limited so call today before it’s too late!
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| DogSmith "Fun Scent Games Level 1 |  This six week class meets for one hour and is limited to 6 dogs. Your dog will learn fun games to search for food. This popular dog sport enables you to wear your dog out mentally so it is ideal for active dogs, dogs with physical limitations or anyone who just wants to play a fun game with their dog. Dogs learn to systematically search boxes and other objects for hidden food. The level of difficulty increases each week and it is fascinating to watch the dogs catch scent and make a find. Dogs and parents give this class a very high rating for fun!
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| DogSmith "Just for Fun" Rally | Focuses on FUN! Fun for you and your dog while you learn to navigate a course at a brisk, continuous pace, with numbered signs indicating different exercises to perform. Some of the exercises you will work on are Sit-Down-Sit, Straight Figure Eight, Send Over Jump, Pivot 180° Right, Spiral Right with Dog on the Outside, Side Step Right, and Drop on Recall. Rally is a great way to continue working with your dog at a fun sport. This 6 week class is a great start to learning about this fun sport and it culminates with a fun Rally competition in week 6. |
| One Hour Puppy Orientation Workshop |  This informative workshop provides essential information for new puppy owners!
During the DogSmith Puppy Orientation Workshop, we will teach you how to house-train your puppy in the fastest, easiest and most humane way. We will explore topics such as at what age your puppy has the control to avoid frequent accidents, what cleaning solutions work best, how his feeding schedule can impact his potty training, and much more.
We will also discuss other common puppy/adolescent issues such as crating, nipping, chewing, jumping and barking!
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| Puppy Orientation Workshop - Shaffer Animal Hospital | Our New Puppy Orientation workshop will teach you how to house train your puppy in the fastest, easiest and most humane way. We will explore how a dog learns when to eliminate, at what age he has the control to avoid frequent accidents, what cleaning solutions work best on the messes, how his feeding schedule can impact his potty training, and much more. We will also talk about other common puppy/adolescent issues such as crating, nipping, chewing, jumping and barking. This workshop is free for all students currently enrolled in a class or for patrons of Shaffer Animal Hospital. |
| Puppy Socials | One hour of supervised play-time. Great for socializing young puppies and allowing older puppies or dogs who are already sociable the opportunity for play dates in a safe environment. You and your dog will learn about canine communication, socialization etiquette, and get to practice obedience skills in real life social situations with the trainers of DOG WILLING. Puppies may enroll up to 5 months old. Older puppies or adult dogs must be evaluated by a trainer for social skills before enrolling. Cost Students: $5/session or $25/one-on-one socialization with a trainer. Please bring payment with you on the day of the session. |
| Dog Hiking Club | Practice your skills in nature at the Econ River Wilderness Trail with the trainers at Dog Willing during a two hour hike! The first part of the hike you will get to practice your Loose Leash Walking as we navigate a winding maze of paths on the trail and explore some of the most beautiful natural surroundings Florida has to offer! Next, we stop at the lake to let the dogs romp around and play, practice recalls, take pictures, retrieve toys and, most importantly, be a dog! It all ends with the final hike back with some of the happiest and exhausted pups you will ever see! This hike is limited to 5 dogs, so be sure to secure a spot today! |
| Downtown Hounds | If your dog has graduated an Intermediate class or the equivalent, this is the next step. We take it "on the road" to practice behaviors in real-life situations for two hours, with real-life distractions. Take a walk by the river while birds flock all around; stroll down a busy street past people with their dogs on leash; sit at an outdoor cafe; go into a dog wash/bakery in close quarters with strange dogs and interesting smells; lots of opportunities to strengthen the reliability of behaviors your dog learned in the classroom. |
| New Puppy Orientation | Stand-alone workshop for new puppy owners, or add-on for current puppy students. This workshop will teach you how to house train your puppy in the fastest, easiest and most humane way. We will explore how a dog learns when to eliminate, at what age he has the control to avoid frequent accidents, what cleaning solutions work best on the messes, how his feeding schedule can impact his potty training, and much more. We will also talk about other common puppy/adolescent issues such as crating, nipping, chewing, jumping and barking. FREE for Patrons of Shaffer Animal Hospital. |
| Holiday Safety | Holidays are just around the corner. This can be a stressful time for you and your family's furry companions. There is a lot of shopping to do, family coming into town, and plenty of delicious food to cook. There will also be strangers coming into the house and lots of tempting items for your pup. Attend the Holiday Safety Workshop to refresh your dog's skills with leave it, greeting strangers politely, and drop It. We will also cover topics such as dangerous foods, how to introduce your dog to new family members, how to keep your pup out of the kitchen, and other safety tips. FREE (for currently enrolled students) |
| Loose Leash Walking | One-hour session to practice walking on a loose leash without pulling. Great for beginners, dogs who need a refresher, or those who want to hone their walking skills. FREE (for currently enrolled students) |
| Quick Tricks | Want to teach your dog to wave, bow, crawl, or other cute tricks? The material in this workshop will depend on each participating dog/owner team's level of training and interests. In any case, you will leave this workshop with a couple of new tricks and probably some new knowledge about training techniques. FREE (for currently enrolled students) |
| DogSmith "Just for Fun" Rally (drop-in) | Focuses on FUN! Fun for you and your dog while you learn to navigate a course at a brisk, continuous pace, with numbered signs indicating different exercises to perform. Some of the exercises you will work on are Sit-Down-Sit, Straight Figure Eight, Send Over Jump, Pivot 180° Right, Spiral Right with Dog on the Outside, Side Step Right, and Drop on Recall. Rally is a great way to continue working with your dog at a fun sport. This 6 week class is a great start to learning about this fun sport and it culminates with a fun Rally competition in week 6. |
| Therapy Dog Preparation |  Become a Registered Therapy Dog Team: Does your dog love people? Do you want to spend quality time with your dog while helping others in need? Therapy dog teams are well trained and registered dogs and handlers who visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other places to provide comfort and companionship to those in need. Join us for a 6 week long class that will prepare your obedient and friendly dog for the therapy dog registration test. Teach your dog how to work in a sometimes chaotic hospital environment; learn how to best support your partner during visits. This course will cover all test items included on most therapy dog tests. Contact us today about a free screener to help determine your eligibility for this class.
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| *Calling All Hams Just for Fun Clicks 4 Tricks | If your dog is a natural performer and you like dazzling your friends and family with amazing tricks like spin, play dead, high-five, and take a bow, then our Clicks-4-Tricks course is for you. This fast moving and fun clicker-based class is for owners who want to develop new tricks and behaviors with their dogs. We teach you the skills you need to clicker-train your dog so the sky is the limit in terms of what you can teach your dog to do. You can also elect to test for the AKC Novice Trick Dog Title and when your dog passes the test, the DogSmith AKC evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog's accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| Pet Dog Ambassador Level 1 (Puppy) |  Dogs, like people, learn best when they are young. That is why we love to see puppies (four to nine months) reach their first pet dog training goal early. Enroll your puppy into the Pet Dog Ambassador Level! Program. This assessment examines a puppy’s training and education as well as the success of the Guardian to have taught the puppy basic good manners appropriate to the home and the training class.
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| Pet Dog Ambassador Level 2 (any dog over the age of six months) |  Builds on the work undertaken at Level 1. It is at a level where those who did not undertake Level 1 because they did not fit the age bracket can still have an easy entry into the program. This assessment examines a Level 2 dog’s training and education as well as the success of the Guardian to have taught the dog good manners for the home and in the training class
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| Pet Dog Ambassador Level 3 |  To provide dog Guardians with more advanced knowledge of force-free dog training and Guardian responsibility. The foundation skills assessed in Level 2 are extended and built upon and put into real life situations in Level 3
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| Pet Dog Ambassador Level 4 |  Build further on the dogs' and Guardians’ skills, knowledge and ability and culminate in assessments both in real life settings and in the class situation. The aim is to produce a Guardian and dog team who demonstrate their ability to undertake increasingly more complex real life skills in real life situations.
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| *DogSmith "Fun Scent Games Level 1 | This six week class meets for one hour and is limited to 6 dogs. Your dog will learn fun games to search for food. This popular dog sport enables you to wear your dog out mentally so it is ideal for active dogs, dogs with physical limitations or anyone who just wants to play a fun game with their dog. Dogs learn to systematically search boxes and other objects for hidden food. The level of difficultly increases each week and it is fascinating to watch the dogs catch scent and make a find. Dogs and parents give this class a very high rating for fun!
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| Just For Fun Agility II | This is a six-week class for DogSmith students who have taken and passed the DogSmith Just For Fun Agility course and want to further enhance their Agility handling skills. The course goals are to prepare you by the end of the program to enter and compete in your first AKC Novice agility trial. The course will teach refined and correct execution of all the equipment that you will encounter in AKC Novice agility trials. We will focus on how to chain pieces of equipment together and how to fine tune your object discrimination. This will culminate with practicing Novice Agility courses in preparation for competing for the first time with your dog. |
| De-Stress Your Holiday Season Now with DogSmith's Holiday Manners Class |  Wow, is it November already? Now that the holiday season is upon us you are probably reminded how stressful this time of year can be for your family, friends and especially your pets! Your change in routines, unfamiliar visitors, extra temptations under the tree or on the table and unexpected travel can all cause our wonderful, loyal pets to exhibit unpredictable and sometimes worrying behavior.Well you certainly don't need more to worry about so let us help you. Our Holiday Manners workshop is a fun, 4-week course designed especially for you to polish your dog’s manners – and help you and your furry family members cope with this particularly stressful time of year. We will show you how to make the most of the holiday season by keeping everyone safe, merry and bright. We'll polish up your pup's mat work, "leave it", and polite greetings and we will introduce you to some powerful tools to help combat holiday stress. And to celebrate your success, on the last week of class, your pup will show off its new skills at our exclusive DOGliday party. |
| DogSmith "Fun Scent Games Level 2 - Find What Smells Like Me | This six-week class meets for one hour each week and is limited to 6 dogs. Level 2 makes use of the amazing scent detection abilities of your dog. Level 2 focuses on teaching dogs to find what smells like their owner. This group class will help your dog have fun, build confidence and burn lots of mental and physical energy. Your dog will learn how to detect an article with your scent out of a pile of 12 different articles and return it to you. What fun!
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| *DogSmith "Fun Scent Games Level 2 - Find What Smells Like Me | This six-week class meets for one hour each week and is limited to 6 dogs. Level 2 makes use of the amazing scent detection abilities of your dog. Level 2 focuses on teaching dogs to find what smells like their owner. This group class will help your dog have fun, build confidence and burn lots of mental and physical energy. Your dog will learn how to detect an article with your scent out of a pile of 12 different articles and return it to you. What fun!
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| Control Your Crazy Canine: Impulse control and stays for the home and for dog sports |  Is your dog out of control? Does he steal food from the counter or steal shoes and toilet paper or does he lose his mind when there is food around? Does she lack the ability to focus on you when a dog is nearby or does she have to jump on every person who comes near her? This class will go over stays, self-control with food, toys and forbidden objects, self-control and being quiet in a crate and making good choices with people nearby and with dogs in motion. At the end of the coursework, your dog will be able to ignore food on the floor, ignore his favorite items to steal, stay on a mat while you go in and out of doors or cook dinner at home or eat a meal or watch TV, be calm and quiet in a crate, not jump on people and be able to focus on you during class no matter the distractions. Drop in class is perfect if you can't commit to coming to class each week. Pay for 6 sessions and you can use those sessions at any point within 16 weeks. Reserve your spot in class now before your dog drives you nuts!
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| Just for Fun Agility III |  This is a six-week class for DogSmith students who have taken and passed the DogSmith Just For Fun Agility II course and want to further enhance their Agility handling skills. The course goals are to prepare you by the end of the program to enter and compete in AKC Novice agility trials. The course will teach refined and correct execution of all the equipment that you will encounter in AKC Novice agility trials and simulate actual agility trials and focus on teaching a working knowledge of AKC Novice agility rules. We will focus on how to chain pieces of equipment together and how to fine tune your object discrimination and handler maneuvering.
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| Introduction to Flyball |  If you have a dog that loves to run fast and catch a ball, this may be the sport for you. Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball. This six-week course introduces the hurdles, the Flyball box, builds ball drive and off-leash handling skills.
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| Calling All Hams Just for Fun Clicks 4 Tricks II | If your dog is a natural performer and you like dazzling your friends and family with complicated tricks, then our Clicks-4-Tricks II course is for you. This fast moving and fun clicker-based class builds on tricks and skills learned in the Clicks-4-Tricks class to develop new tricks and behaviors with their dogs through free-shaping. You can also elect to test for the AKC Intermediate Trick Dog Title and when your dog passes the test, the DogSmith AKC evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog’s accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| Calling All Hams Just for Fun Clicks 4 Tricks III | If your dog is a natural performer and you like dazzling your friends and family with complicated tricks, then our Clicks-4-Tricks III course is for you. This fast moving and fun clicker-based class builds on tricks and skills learned in the Clicks-4-Tricks II class to develop new tricks and behaviors with their dogs through free-shaping, back-chaining cues and sequencing knows behaviors into compound behaviors. You can also elect to test for the AKC Advanced Trick Dog Title and when your dog passes the test, the DogSmith AKC evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog’s accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| Calling All Hams Just for Fun Clicks 4 Tricks IV | If your dog is a natural performer and you are thinking about performing in other dog sports like freestyle, then our Clicks-4-Tricks IV course is for you. This fast moving and fun clicker-based class builds on tricks and skills learned in the Clicks-4-Tricks class to develop new tricks and behaviors with their dogs through free-shaping, back-chaining, sequencing and videotaped review to create a choreographed performance. You can also elect to test for the AKC Performer Trick Dog Title and when your dog passes the test, the DogSmith AKC evaluator will give you the official documentation to send to the AKC for your certificate and to register your dog’s accomplishment. Sign-up today and get started.
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| Novice Trick Dog (TKN) Testing | Is your dog a Trickster? See if it makes the grade! Join us at our next testing event. Prove to your friends and family just how smart and funny your pooch can be by earning your AKC Novice Trick Dog Title. The dog performs 10 skills from the Novice list, or if your dog has a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate or title on record at AKC, it can do 5 Novice tricks (CGC + 5) to earn the AKC Novice Trick Dog Title (TKN). Dogs must have an AKC, PAL, or AKC Canine Partners number to earn a title. All dogs can get a number including purebreds and mixed breeds by contacting the American Kennel Club.
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| Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI) Testing | Is your dog a Trickster? See if it makes the grade! Join us at our next testing event. Prove to your friends and family just how smart and funny your pooch can be by earning your AKC Intermediate Trick Dog Title (TKI). The dog must have the Novice title, plus perform 10 Intermediate tricks.
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| Advanced Trick Dog (TKA) Testing | Is your dog a Trickster? See if it makes the grade! Join us at our next testing event. Prove to your friends and family just how smart and funny your pooch can be by earning your AKC Advanced Trick Dog Title (TKI). The dog must have the Intermediate title, plus perform 5 tricks from the Advanced list.
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| Trick Dog Performer (TKP) Testing | Is your dog a Trickster? See if it makes the grade! Join us at our next testing event. Prove to your friends and family just how smart and funny your pooch can be by earning your AKC Trick Dog Performer Title (TKP). I?n this title, handlers perform a short routine with at least 10 tricks previously learned.
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| DogSmith "Tricks & Manners" | This 6-week class meets for one hour a week. All behaviours are taught as tricks, so whether teaching a sit, a down or a spin, you are guaranteed to have a great time! You will learn lots of useful techniques for teaching your canine companion the many skills they need to be a well-mannered member of your family, as well as lots of fun 'party tricks' to impress your friends.
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| Take Back the Leash! *DogSmith Solutions Workshop |
During this fun 2-hour workshop you will learn lots of games and skills that will help you teach your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash. making walks less stressful and more enjoyable for both you and your companion! You will also learn how the environment impacts your dog's behaviour and how improving your training mechanics and implementing 'management strategies' can help you overcome some of the many challenges the environment may throw your way! Please note, although we will cover some topics and games that will help your dog cope in more challenging environments when he may encounter other dogs, people, bicycles, traffic... this is not a workshop for leash 'reactive' dogs or dogs that show signs of 'aggression' - your dog will be working in close proximity to other dogs and people. |
| Out and About with the Whistle Recall |  This 6-week class takes your learning on the road. The course is based on teaching your dog a formidable recall to a whistle but behaviors such as a solid response to name; a reliable verbal recall; walking nicely on a loose leash and other important skills will all be practised. Each class is held in a different location within the nearby area which will be communicated to those who have registered in the weekly class email. All dogs must have previously attended a DogSmith group or private class.
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| The Walk This Way Comprehensive Skills, Knowledge and Proofing Workshop |  During this fun 2-day workshop you will learn lots of games and skills that will help you teach your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash, making walks less stressful and more enjoyable for both you and your companion! You will also learn how the environment impacts your dog's behavior and how improving your training mechanics and implementing 'management strategies' can help you overcome some of the many challenges that may come your way!
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| The Walk This Way Practical Skills Workshop |  During this fun 4-hour workshop you will learn lots of skills that will help you teach your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash, making walks less stressful and more enjoyable for both you and your companion!
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| The Walk This Way Proofing Games Workshop |  During this fun 1-day workshop you will take part in lots of fun games that will help you proof your dog’s loose-leash walking skills and improve your training mechanics, making walks less stressful and more enjoyable for both you and your companion!
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| Be a Tree Program |  Delivered by your DogSmith, a Be a Tree Licensed Presenter. The Be a Tree program is a dog bite prevention seminar program for school-age children. This program focuses on fun and interactive activities to teach children how to read dog body language and how to act safely around both their own dog and strange dogs. Join us for this fun interactive program covering the Be a Tree program and much more!
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| Dog Bite Safety Education |  Join your local DogSmith a Dog Bite Safety Educator for this fun class on Dog Bite Safety Education. Your Dog Bite Safety Educator is licensed through Doggone safe and they have successfully completed a certificate course in this program content. Learn how you can “Speak Dog” and how your family can safely interact with dogs using consent testing, knowledge and handling skills. This class also covers the important topic of being a “Dog Detective”. Learn how to search for clues and safely interpret canine body language. This is a fun educational class for the entire family. Helping you and your community keep future generations safe!
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| Need to Learn Some Manners? Small Paw Etiquette 9 Week Class |  A beginner class for puppies We could all use a little help with our manners, right? This 9-week puppy class for dogs less than 6 months old covers the essentials of family life, house-training, crate training, puppy biting, basic leash skills and simple obedience cues like sit, down, come, stay, no jumping and watch me. The classes are fun and help build your pup’s confidence while socializing it to different dogs and people. We incorporate games and lots of fun into these classes. Be proud of your well-mannered furry family member. Register today
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| Competitive Obedience Novice Level |  The DogSmith introduction to competition obedience class introduces you to the world of showcasing your dog's skills at organized trials. Competition obedience builds on the basic pet dog obedience skills covered in other DogSmith group class curriculums by introducing you to more formal sequencing and external distractions, such as the dog show environment. This 6-week course prepares both you and your dog for your first competition. You will cover the things you need to prepare for and expect and the skills your dog will need to compete at a qualifying level. Novice Level trials hosted by the American Kennel Club judge the following skills for dogs just getting started in set exercises: Heel on Leash and Figure Eight. Heel Free. Stand for Examination. Recall. Long Sit (1 minute), Long Down (3 minutes).
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| Competition Obedience Open Level |  This six-week course is designed for those students who have completed or are working on their Novice obedience title and want to focus on the second level skills, the Open Level of competition obedience. The second level includes more complicated exercises, where you will be teaching your dog to do a variety of tasks and to follow cues either by voice or signal. Open Level trials hosted by the American Kennel Club judge the following skills for dogs in set exercises: Heel Free and Figure Eight -- Same as Novice level but off leash. Drop on Recall. Retrieve on Flat. Retrieve Over High Jump. Broad Jump. Long Sit (3 minutes) -- similar to the long sit in Novice, but the position must be held for. a longer period of time with the handler out of the dog's sight. Long Down (5 minutes).
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| Competition Obedience Utility Level |  This is the third and highest level of regular obedience competition. This six-week course is designed for those students who have completed or are working on their Open Level obedience title and want to focus on the third and highest level of regular obedience competition, the Utility Level. Utility Level trials hosted by the American Kennel Club judge the following skills for dogs in set exercises: Signal Exercise -- shows the dog's ability to understand and correctly respond to the handler's signal to stand, stay, down, sit and come. No voice cues are given; only hand signals are allowed. Scent Discrimination -- shows the dog's ability to find the handler's scent among a pile of articles. Directed Retrieve -- proves the dog's ability to follow a directional signal to retrieve a glove and promptly return it to the handler. Moving Stand and Examination -- the dog must heel, stand and stay as the handler moves away. The dog must stay and accept an examination by the judge and return to the handler on cue. Directed Jumping -- the dog must go away from the handler, turn and sit. Then, the dog must clear whichever jump its handler indicates and promptly return to the handler.
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| Fostering collaborative Care Procedures™ – Offering Pets a Choice & Voice This program is facilitated by a Licensed Collaborative Care Partner |  This six week class is designed to help you help your pet enjoy going to the vet or the groomer, getting into your car or having their nails trimmed.
Understanding the many uses for and learning how to teach essential collaborative care behaviours will help your pet happily cooperate in their own care. Collaborative Care skills lead to a reduction in stress and anxiety for you and your pet during these important times. These important skills help everyone to remain calm in what could otherwise be fear-provoking situations. During this six week program you will learn 7 Key kills and 4 Key Concepts, all designed so your pet can learn to offer great behaviors with a positive happy attitude. You pet will also learn they can indicate to you that they are not comfortable with a procedure and when it becomes ok for the procedure to continue! Yes they really do participate and become empowered in their own care!
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| DogSmith One Hour Agility Practice Session |  This session is for handlers and dogs that have been through The DogSmith’s Just for Fun Agility class or that have prior agility training. These one-hour classes are designed with a course that will help dogs and handlers practice their agility skills and prepare for competition. Your dog will be happy and exhausted after this lesson. Your dog must be well socialized and good around other dogs.
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| Kids and Dogs |  Pup it up! Positive Dog Training for Kids - Helping dogs and children become best friends!
A fun six-class course where your children and pets can learn together, guided by qualified professionals. We will teach you and your child how to read your dog's body language and stay safe around dogs. You will learn how to positively train your dog to sit, come and walk nicely. We will even teach you some cool tricks, scent work games and, at some locations, fun agility! Lots of fun, lots of variation, lots of learning! Suitable for children aged 10 to 15. Each minor must be accompanied by an adult. |
| DogSmith Workshop - The Rocket Recall! | This two-hour workshop covers just one skill, a really reliable recall. Gain peace of mind knowing that in an emergency situation your dog will return to you when asked. We begin by teaching the dog a solid response to his/her name. We will then build on the recall behaviour by playing lots of games and reinforcing fast returns to you. As your dog’s recall strengthens, we practise the recall amidst distractions and then we proof the behaviour for reliability. You may only need your recall once but when you need it, it has to work. DON’T DELAY. LIMITED AVAILABILITY – REGISTER TODAY! Please note we cannot hold any unpaid registration. Please pay online as soon as you register or contact Louise@DogSmith.com to arrange in person payment. Thank you. |
| DogSmith Fun Scent Games Workshop - Find What Smells Like Me! | During this fun 2-hour workshop, we will make use of your dog’s amazing scent detection, teaching him/her to find what smells like you! We will begin by teaching your dog to find an individual ball that smells like you. We will systematically progress to teaching your dog to find that same ball when placed near one to eleven other identical balls! Your dog will also have lots of fun, amazing you with his/her scenting ability, while playing two of our favourite games: ‘Where is it?’ and ‘The Clumsy Trainer’. By the end of the workshop, we know your dog will be a hero, finding your ‘lost’ phone and the car keys that you accidently dropped! DON’T DELAY. LIMITED AVAILABILITY – REGISTER TODAY! Please note we cannot hold any unpaid registration. Please pay online as soon as you register or contact Louise@DogSmith.com to arrange in person payment. Thank you. |
| DogSmith 2 Hour Workshop The Rocket Recall! | 
This two-hour workshop covers just one skill, a really reliable recall. Gain peace of mind
knowing that in an emergency situation your dog will return to you when asked.
We begin by teaching the dog a solid response to his/her name. We will then build on the recall behaviour by playing lots of games and reinforcing fast returns to you. As your dog’s recall strengthens, we practise the recall amidst distractions and then we proof the behaviour for reliability. You may only need your recall once but when you need it, it has to work. DON’T DELAY. LIMITED AVAILABILITY – REGISTER TODAY! Please note we cannot hold any unpaid registration. Please pay online as soon as you register or contact Louise@DogSmith.com to arrange in person payment. Thank you. |
| DogSmith 2 Hour Workshop Find What Smells Like Me! |  During this fun 2-hour workshop, we will make use of your dog’s amazing scent detection,
teaching him/her to find what smells like you!
We will begin by teaching your dog to find an individual ball that smells like you. We will systematically progress to teaching your dog to find that same ball when placed near one to eleven other identical balls! Your dog will also have lots of fun, amazing you with his/her scenting ability, while playing two of our favourite games: ‘Where is it?’ and ‘The Clumsy Trainer’. By the end of the workshop, we know your dog will be a hero, finding your ‘lost’ phone and the car keys that you accidently dropped! DON’T DELAY. LIMITED AVAILABILITY – REGISTER TODAY! Please note we cannot hold any unpaid registration. Please pay online as soon as you register or contact Louise@DogSmith.com to arrange in person payment. Thank you. |
| Ready, Steady… Let’s Go! A 1.5 hr Speciality Workshop |  This DogSmith Workshop covers just one skill, a really reliable response to “Let’s Go!” – an indispensable cue for both on and off leash!
Many times, when interacting with your dog on a leash you will need to quickly and effectively turn your dog the opposite way. The ‘Let’s Go’ cue allows you to do that without yanking on the leash!
“Let’s Go” is also a fabulous additional cue for your recall toolbox!
o Your dog will learn to quickly turn 180o and move in the opposite direction (towards you).
o Taught well, this will become a reflexive response!
o By using the ‘Let’s Go’ cue you will be able to remove your dog from potentially hazardous situations and avoid problems, without using force or fearful voice reactions!
DON’T DELAY. LIMITED AVAILABILITY – REGISTER TODAY!
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| DogVenture Workshop – Journey into The World of Canine Enrichment |  Did You Know That In Just 2 Hours You Can Enhance the Quality of Your Dog’s Life – Resulting in fewer behavior problems, more enrichment and a happier, healthier pet? Sign-up for Your Local DogSmith’s Canine Enrichment Workshop - DogVenture
The key to a happy and healthy dog is regular enrichment and allowing them to engage in their natural behaviors, such as playing, chasing, smelling, chewing and scavenging. When you let your dog enjoy these behaviors, you allow them to be physically, emotionally and mentally challenged and satisfied. Dogs who don’t receive stimulation tend to find ways to enrich themselves, resulting in unwanted and unpopular behaviors.
Join us for this two-hour workshop where we will guide you through our Canine Enrichment Assessment and help you learn the skills to add enrichment activities into your pet’s daily routine.
Enrichment comes in many forms and in a variety of categories from auditory and visual to physical and cognitive. Your DogSmith Certified Canine Enrichment Technician can help you build the right program for your pet based on your needs and the unique traits of your dog.
Providing enrichment can enhance your pet’s environment encouraging them to explore and interact with their surroundings. Enrichment improves and enhances your dog's mental state using a range of activities designed to challenge and exercise their brains. These activities encourage your dog to solve problems, gain new skills and become more confident. Most importantly, they love it!
Some of the many benefits of enrichment training include:
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| DogVenture Program – Journey into The World of Canine Enrichment with Our 6-Week Program |  Did You Know That in Just 1 hour each week for 6 weeks you can not only have loads of fun with your pet but also enhance the quality of your Dog’s Life – Resulting in fewer behavior problems, more enrichment and a happier, healthier pet?
Sign-up for Your Local Dog Smith’s 6-week Canine Enrichment Workshop - DogVenture
The key to a happy and healthy dog is regular enrichment and allowing them to engage in their natural behaviors, such as playing, chasing, smelling, chewing and scavenging. When you let your dog enjoy these behaviors, you allow them to be physically, emotionally and mentally challenged and satisfied. Dogs who don’t receive stimulation tend to find ways to enrich themselves, resulting in unwanted and unpopular behaviors.
Join us for this group class where we will guide you through our Canine Enrichment Assessment and help you learn the skills to add enrichment activities into your pet’s daily routine.
Enrichment comes in many forms and in a variety of categories from auditory and visual to physical and cognitive. Your DogSmith Certified Canine Enrichment Technician can help you build the right program for your pet based on your needs and the unique traits of your dog.
Providing enrichment can enhance your pet’s environment encouraging them to explore and interact with their surroundings. Enrichment improves and enhances your dog's mental state using a range of activities designed to challenge and exercise their brains. These activities encourage your dog to solve problems, gain new skills and become more confident. Most importantly, they love it!
Some of the many benefits of enrichment training include:
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| Puppy Essentials Getting Started | This is your precursor to Level 1 & Level 2. A Virtual or In-Person Guide To the Top 5 Knowledge Components & Top 5 Skills Needed By Pet Owners To Effectively Train Their Puppy This curriculum, teaches you the top five essential pieces of knowledge and top five skills, needed to successfully move through a dog training program. Afterall, dog training is a mechanical skill and effective dog training is reliant on you understanding how to apply these mechanical components to real life scenarios. And, with any skill, the underlying knowledge needs to be in place, so you understand why we are asking you do to something in a particular way at a particular time! |
| Puppy Essentials - Level 1 - Your Virtual & In-Person Guide to Early Socialization & Development. | A fun, interactive, training resource that you can use virtually to guide Puppy Owners through the first essential lessons. The focus of the presentation is on socialization to situations, people, objects and other puppies, developing bite inhibition, preventing resource guarding and preventing separation anxiety, learning all about canine communication and working with collaborative care skills. |
| Puppy Essentials - Level 2 - Your Virtual & In-Person Guide To 18 Foundational Puppy Skills | A fun, interactive, training resource that you can use virtually to guide Puppy Owners through the first essential lessons. The focus of the presentation is on teaching the essential foundation skills that the puppy will need to be a well-mannered family member, including activities to help manage the puppy and improve the puppy-owner bond. Three skills are included in each lesson, including Focus, Name Response, Sit, Alert Sound, Come, Down, Hand Touch Game, Stand on Leash, Front, Take it, Drop. Leave it, Go in Crate, The Magic Mat, Park Your Dog, Let's Go, Close, & Walk Nicely. |
| Your DogSmith Group Walk & Train |  We all need more exercise and time outdoors and so do our dogs.
Come and join a DogSmith Group Walk & Train as we walk, learn, sniff and have fun together!
Let me be your guide along with a small group of other pet dog owners with their four-legged furry family members from your neighborhood as we take a relaxing ramble around town, through your local park or on a brisk hike.
While we all get some much-needed fresh air and exercise, our dogs will enjoy a leg stretch, some enrichment and an opportunity to pick up and deliver some pee-mail. Jokes aside, walks should be enriching rambles with lots of time to sniff, take in and enjoy the environment and just be a dog. But while we are rambling, we will be incorporating some basic pet manners and skill training into the session.
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| Help Your Dog Learn an Amazing Response to Their Name – The Ten Important Steps | Your dog’s name is hopefully the single most important word your dog hears. Since your dog lives with humans and humans talk a lot, your dog’s name is critical for your dog to understand for safety and happiness. So, teaching ‘Response to Name’ is crucial and should be very high on your list of lessons for your canine family member. In this class you will explore and learn: • The meaning of a name response and why it is so important. • How to condition a positive emotional response to a dog’s name so it becomes ‘music to their ears’ and they respond happily and quickly when they hear it • Master the ten steps to optimal name response via step-by-step instruction built through fun exercises and games. • Learn games and activities that can be used to proof and generalize an incredible response to name! This means you will learn how to condition your pets name so it works in all locations including distractions • How you can incorporate your newfound knowledge, and the material presented, into your business and even increase your business revenue! |
| Trick Dog Performer (TKP) Testing | |
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| Grand Opening - Dog Walk & Rock Talk |  Come and join me for this fun outing with our dogs
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Are you struggling to walk your dog? Are you tired of your dog pulling and dragging you around? Register now for our DogSmith Take Back the Leash Workshop!